Abalos gets back ARMM for b’gay polls

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos has regained the supervision of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on Oct. 29.

In an en banc meeting last July 31, the six-member Comelec agreed to re-install Abalos as the commissioner-in-charge of the ARMM, a position he held in the May 2001 presidential elections.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the post was returned to Abalos because Metro Manila and ARMM are “traditionally” assigned to the chairman.

Two months before the May 14 elections, Abalos gave the ARMM to Commissioner Rene Sarmiento to dispel speculations that he was there to ensure the victory of the administration’s senatorial bets in the region.

The ARMM has been perceived to be the country’s “cheating capital,” especially after the 2004 presidential elections because of the so-called “Garci tape.”

Under the new assignment, Abalos will also handle Metro Manila and Region 9, while Sarmiento will be in charge of Regions 1, 2 and 3.

Commissioner Resurreccion Borra will supervise Regions 6 and 7, while Commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr. will handle Regions 4 and 5.

Commissioner Romeo Brawner will be in charge of Regions 11, 12 and the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer will supervise Regions 8, 10 and Caraga.